Government hand over bicycles to the Burry Stander Foundation as the Burry Stander Bike Park is officially opened in honour of Burry Stander, a South African mountain bike champion and olympian.
Sport & Recreation South Africa (SRSA) and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Sport & Recreation, today handed over to the Burry Stander Foundation in Umtentweni, Port Shepstone, 35 mountain bikes towards development of the sport of Cycling in KwaZulu-Natal.
The handing over of bicycles by government, follows the memorial service held by the Stander family and the Foundation, on the 1st anniversary of Burry’s death (3 January 2014) at the Ghost Bike, on the corner of Marine Drive & Stott Street, in Shelly Beach.
Represented by its Director-General, Mr Alec Moemi, SRSA called upon all stakeholders to work together towards ensuring that more previously disadvantaged youth participate in Cycling and the spirit of Burry Stander, South Africa’s mountain bike champion and Olympian lives on. Together with the KwaZulu-Natal Acting MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation, Ms Weziwe Thusi, Mr Moemi also officially opened the Burry Stander Bike Park.
The bicycles handed over to the Foundation are part of government’s Cycle for Life programme that intends to promote cycling and ensure that South Africans see beyond a bicycle as a mode of transport and start to see the benefits of its use, to for example, the environment, health, and the economy.
Other activities on the Bike Park opening day, included a 30km Out Ride [a ride through the route that Burry used to train at], a 5km ride, and a walk in the Burry Stander Bike Park.
Burry Stander died while training with his bike, in an accident involving a taxi, in January 2013, at Shelly Beach, KwaZulu-Natal.
For Enquiries:
Sport & Recreation SA,
Manase Makwela
Cell: 082 782 1759
KZN Sport & Recreation
Sandile
Cell: 078 169 4063
Burry Stander Foundation
Mandie Stander
Cell: 079 493 7499
